Welcome to my favorite post of the year!
After having published my end of the year stats two days ago, I will now share with you which of the 57 books I read in 2021 were the ones I loved the most.
I am always very eager to build this post and it is with great anticipation that I look back at my reading year to see which books stood out. Some years are harder than others, for example, last year with a bigger number of books read, I found it harder to narrow down my favorites, but this year I have to confess it wasn’t that hard 😊
I’m only considering for this list the books I read in 2021, regardless of their publication date, which means some were published in previous years but only read this year.
Just like last year, I decided to add another category: From Pemberley to Milton’s Favorite Novellas. Novellas are becoming a favorite of mine, and I don’t think it is fair for them to compete with lengthier books, so I have added them in a category of its own.
But now, without further ado, my favorite books of 2021 are:
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The Price of Pride – Abigail Reynolds
Publication year – 2021
Number of Pages – 354
Sub genre – Pride & Prejudice Variation
What I loved about it – Everything! The angst, the raw emotion, the intensity of each scene, Darcy’s jealousy, the family dynamics, the dialogues and the incredible writing style. This one has moved into my All Time favorites list!
My Review Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
Available in Kindle Unlimited – Yes
Available in Audible – Yes
Dangerous Magic – Monica Fairview
Publication year – 2021
Number of Pages – 290
Sub Genre – Pride & Prejudice Fantasy
What I loved about it – The ability the author had to transport me into a different reality, Darcy and Elizabeth’s characters and compatibility, and the incredible vivid and engrossing writing style.
My Review Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
Available in Kindle Unlimited – Yes
Available in Audible – Yes
John Eyre – Mimi Matthews
Publication year – 2021
Number of Pages – 362
Sub Genre – Gothic / Jane Eyre Role Swap
What I loved about it – The strong female character, the steadiness of the male character, the mystery, and the captivating and engrossing writing style.
My Review Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
Available in Kindle Unlimited – No
Available in Audible – Yes
Nameless – Julie Cooper
Publication year – 2021
Number of Pages – 391
Sub Genre – Pride & Prejudice Variation
What I loved about it – The addictive writing style, older and more mature versions of Darcy and Elizabeth, and the dark tone created by the mystery in the story.
My review (coming up this month) Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
Available in Kindle Unlimited – Yes
Available in Audible – Yes
Tempted – Nicole Clarkston
Publication year – 2020
Number of Pages – 560
Sub Genre – Pride & Prejudice Different Era
What I loved about it – The execution of a beautiful story, the early years of the pioners in america, Billy Collins and the always consistent writing style.
My review (coming up this month) Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
Available in Kindle Unlimited – Yes
Available in Audible – No
A Captain for Caroline Gray – Julie Wright
Publication year – 2021
Number of Pages – 324
Sub Genre – Regency Romance
What I loved about it – The intensity of the romance, the adventure and the main characters. Both Caroline and Captain Scott are carved in my heart.
My review Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
Available in Kindle Unlimited – No
Available in Audible – Yes
Back to the Bonnet- Jennifer Duke
Publication year – 2020
Number of Pages – 314
Sub Genre – Pride & Prejudice Time Travel / Secondary Character
What I loved about it – The originality, the unexpected factor at every turn of the page, and the execution of the story.
My review Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
Available in Kindle Unlimited – Yes
Available in Audible – No
So Material a Change – Amy D’Orazio
Publication year – 2021
Number of Pages – 387
Sub Genre – Pride & Prejudice Variation
What I loved about it – The liveliness in the writing style, the main characters and their bulding relantionship.
My Review Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
Available in Kindle Unlimited – Yes
Available in Audible – Yes
Twists of Fate – Joana Starnes
Publication year – 2021
Number of Pages – 410
Sub Genre – Pride & Prejudice Variation
What I loved about it – The gossip, Darcy, and the quality of the writing.
My Review Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
Available in Kindle Unlimited – Yes
Available in Audible – No
Fallen – Jessie Lewis
Publication year – 2021
Number of Pages – 382
Sub Genre – Pride & Prejudice Variation
What I loved about it – Seeing Elizabeth falling in love with Mr. Darcy, their walks and conversations and the dialogues of the secondary characters.
My Review Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
Available in Kindle Unlimited – Yes
Available in Audible – Yes
.
Reckless, Headstrong Girl – Grace Gibson
Publication year – 2021
Number of Pages – 134
Sub Genre – Pride & Prejudice Variation / Secondary Character
What I loved about it – Lydia Bennet, the humour and the light yet captivating writing style.
My Review Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
Available in Kindle Unlimited – Yes
Available in Audible – Yes
A Longbourn Entanglement – Monica Fairview
Publication year – 2021
Number of Pages – 151
Sub Genre – Pride & Prejudice Variation
What I loved about it – The romance, the humor, the male characters and the dynamics at Longbourn.
My Review Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk
Available in Kindle Unlimited – Yes
Available in Audible – No
Do you share any favourites with me? Have you read all the books that are on my list? Is there any book that is missing on this list you would recommend?
Looking at my list I find it curious to see that despite having a bigger diversity in the sub genres read, that was not reflected in my favorites list. In fact, I believe that in previous years my favorites lists were more diverse, with books that fitted in sub genres like North & South, Austen’s other novels, Secondary Characters, Sequels, Modernizations, Different Eras, Different POV’s, etc, while this year most of the books on the list are P&P variations. This is certainly my favorite sub-genre, but I wonder why books in other sub genres didn’t stood as much as in previous years.
If you’d like to compare my favorites from previous years, and see what I am talking about, you can find them on the links below:
2015 From Pemberley to Milton’s Favorite books
2016 From Pemberley to Milton’s Favorite Books
2017 From Pemberley to Milton’s Favorite Books
2018 From Pemberley to Milton’s Favorite Books
2019 From Pemberley to Milton’s Favorite Books
2020 From Pemberley to Milton’s Favorite Books
Wishing you all a lovely 2022, full of books and reading hours 🙂
From Pemberley to Milton 
I guess we’re pretty similar in tastes because several of these made my best reading for this year, too. Now, I need to grab the others on your list. 🙂
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Have you shared your favorites list somewhere Sophia? I would love to see it and compare it with mine, maybe you have some great suggestions for me too 🙂
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Lovely list, Rita!!
I confess to find a lot of my own favourites of the year in it (Abigail’s Price of Pride, Fallen, So Material a Change, Joana’s Twists of fate came to mind immediately)!
John Eyre I have yet to read – but now I am determined to do so. And at least to check on some of the others!!!
From my very top favourite there are some absences – but I can see where you couldn’t have had place for all (random examples: Faults of Understanding, Old Boots, Nine Ladies, A Gentleman’s Honour…)😘
I hope it will a good year for you, so full of good reads that by this time next year you’ll must extend your list! 💜
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Thank you for sharing your favorites with us Mihaela, I haven’t read a few of the books you mentioned such as Faults of Understanding or a Gentleman’s Honour. I guess I have to add them to my TBR 🙂
I wish you a wonderful year too!
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Wow! Thank you so much for recognizing my novella, Reckless, Headstrong Girl! It is such a privilege to share any favorites list with these amazing authors.
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With this novella you achieved something I didn’t think possible Grace, you made me love the Lydia scenes more then the Elizabeth/Darcy ones 🙂 This novella is amazing!
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Great list, Rita! It’s fun to read your list and what you liked!
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Thank you Janet! Some of these were read thanks to you 🙂
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Wonderful choices! An excellent start to the New Year.
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Thank you Mike! A Happy New Year to you too 🙂
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Thanks so much Rita! I surely appreciate the call out, especially next to so many great ones. I’m also impressed that you read 57 books! Whoa! Fast reader!!
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57 was indeed a good number, but I was only able to reach it because of audiobooks as I am in fact a very slow reader. I don’t think I will be able to read as much this year, but we shall see 🙂 Nameless was read in a couple of days, so we never know 🙂
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Congratulations to the winners! Wonderful books.
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I’m so honored that you included my book in this fabulous company! Thank you!
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It was impossible for this book not to be here Abigail, this book is probably in my Top 5 All Time Favorite Books list. It is brilliant!
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We share many of the same books on Austenprose.com’s “Best of 2021” list, Rita. Happy to see some of the books I recommended such as A Captain for Caroline Gray & John Eyre. It is good to stretch our Janeite wings! Happy reading in 2022. Best, LA
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What a great list, I’ve read and enjoyed Back to the Bonnet. Another favorite of mine is Mr Darcy’s Persuasion. Twists of Faith and So Material a Change are on my list aswell 🙂
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I’m over the moon! So please to see Dangerous Magic and Longbourn Entanglement made your list!! Many thanks, Rita!!!
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I’ve read six of those and have others on my TBR. I’m afraid I’m still dedicated to stories about Darcy and Elizabeth, I can’t get enough of those two. As well as some of the above I loved An Unexpected Harvest by Cat Andrews and Agony and Hope by Leslie Diamond plus many others.
Many thanks to the authors who cater to my obsession, I’m sorry I can’t mention them all, but I’m eternally grateful.
Happy Blogging Rita and thank you 🙂
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Thrilled to see Tempted on your list, Rita! What a list, too. There are some books on here that I really need to read! Happy New Year, everyone. ❤
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❤❤ Huge thanks, Rita, for including Twists of Fate! I’m so happy you liked it!! ❤❤
Happy New Year! Hope this is the one when we get to meet again.
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